Page 240 of Rogue Riders Duet

“And if that’s with Mason beside me…” Luc says, voice softer now, “… as a friend, or more, that’s your decision.”

Wait, what?

“Why would that be my decision?”

“Because I’m not putting my happiness over yours.”

I stare at him in disbelief for a long moment, then snap, “Oh, shut up.”

He glances over, his brows lifting. “What?”

“Shut the fuck up, Luc.” I laugh despite the emotion clawing up my throat. “As if I don’t want you to be happy. As if I don’t want Mason to be happy. As if I don’t…” my voice catches, “… as if I wouldn’t support the two of you together.”

He huffs, shaking his head, smiling now. “Yeah. That was fantastic, by the way.”

“What was?”

“Your medicated brain yelling at us to kiss.” He smirks. “Very subtle.”

“Shut up.” I laugh, then ask before I can stop myself, “Did you… kiss?”

I don’t know if I want the answer. Or maybe I do. I just don’t know whether I’ll like it.

Luc glances over, then back at the road. “No. I wanted to talk to you first. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Of course, he didn’t. I should have known that Luc would put my feelings over his in this matter, but how stupid is it that I feel this burst of relief? Like I’m clinging to some piece of him I don’t want to lose.

Would I lose him to Mason?

What if I’m the one left outside?

Still, I don’t let it show, for his sake. “The only thing that would hurt me is if you didn’t do that. I want you to kiss him. I want you both to be happy together. Kiss. Date. Do whatever. Be in a relationship if that’s what you want.”

I mean it. I think I do. It’s just, God, it’s hot when I think of them together, but when it’s not just a fantasy anymore? When it’s real, and Luc might fall for Mason the way I fell for Luc? The way I’m starting to feel about Mason too? But only for him.

I shake it off and push it down. That’s not what this is about. This is about trust, choice, and not being afraid of love just because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

Luc reaches over and takes my hand, his thumb stroking lightly over the back of it.

“I want all of that with you, too, Petite,” he says quietly. “I want to be in a relationship with you. I want to be happy with you.”

I look at him, heart suddenly thudding in a whole different rhythm. Part fear. Part awe. All tangled up in the stupid, complicated truth of what I want.

“Okay, then let’s be happy,” I say it like I believe it, and I’m not scared to death that I’ll end up third-wheeling the very thing I pushed for, but I do mean it. I want them both to be happy. I want that for all of us, and maybe, if I say it enough, I’ll start to believe it—the idea that Luc can have the choice between the two of us and still choose me too.

He stills for a second. “You mean…”

I nod again, my heart thudding. “Honestly? Yesterday, I was still convinced my life was over in four weeks. Now, if I’m really committing to living this life, then I sure as fuck want to live it the way I want. So yeah. You can be with Mason, and you can be with me. You can have both of us, if Mason’s okay with that, I mean.”

Luc smiles. “I don’t think he’ll have a problem, but I’ll talk to him.”

“Great.”

Is it though? I mean, yes, I love that for them. For us. But part of me is still bracing, afraid of what happens when lines blur and love starts multiplying. What if I just handed Mason over on a silver platter? What if Luc falls harder for him than for me? And what about Finn?

Before I can spiral too far, Luc speaks again—like he’s been eavesdropping on my inner chaos.

“And you can have Greer.”